The Ocean City Nor’easters were just a few minutes away from starting their four-game homestand with a 1-0 win on Friday night. But Hale Lombard of Real Central New Jersey took it away with an impressive individual goal in the 87th minute.

After a 1-1 draw at Carey Stadium (“The Beach House”) the Nor’easters remain undefeated with a 6-0-5 record and are still on top of the Mid-Atlantic Division. They are five points clear of second place West Chester United, who have two games in hand. RCNJ is 2-5-3 and are in fifth place.

VIDEO: Ocean City Nor'easters vs. Real Central NJ

It is the third straight draw for Ocean City. The only other time that has happened in club history was in 2011.

The draw does preserve the Storm’s club record unbeaten streak by extending it to 26 games (18-0-8) dating back to 2021. The team’s last loss came on July 9, 2021 against West Chester United. That WCU game was also the last time the Storm lost a home game. Their home unbeaten streak at the Beach House is now at 11 games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in club history.

Ocean City will have a full week to prepare for their next game. They will host Philadelphia Lone Star FC on Friday, July 7. All home games kick off at 7 p.m. 

Single-game tickets can be purchased for $10 each (general admission). The easiest way to purchase tickets is to buy them online through the Nor'easters website (OceanCityFC.com). Tickets can also be purchased at the Carey Stadium gate either with cash or with a smartphone.

The opening goal came early for Ocean City. In the 14th minute, Sander Roed (Louisville / Tranby, Norway) delivered a lofted ball to Jack Sarkos (UCLA / Margate City, NJ) on the left wing deep in RCNJ territory. Sarkos, making his second start of the season, played the ball on the ground to Alessandro Arlotti (Harvard / San Remo, Italy) near the top of the box. Last year’s team MVP spotted Jamie Davis (New Hampshire / Cheshire, England) making a run across the box and he played him through all alone on the left side. The goalkeeper came out to challenge but Davis beat him to it and put it into the back of the net.

It was the second goal of the season for Davis and the team-leading seventh assist for Arlotti. The helper moved last year’s Offensive Player of the Year into a tie for third on the club’s all-time assist list with 13. He is tied with Frank Tweneboa (2012-15). Only the club’s all-time leading scorer Byron Carmichael (24) and the 2004 league MVP Ruben Mingo (19) have more. 

In the 87th minute, the Storm were dispossessed in RCNJ’s defensive end and the visitors quickly launched a counter attack by sending a long ball up the left wing. Lombard ran on to it and collected it near the corner of the penalty area before a defender challenged him. He faced up ,took a quick touch to his right at the edge of the box curled a well-struck ball into the upper-90, just inside the post. It was a goal that would have been out of the reach of just about any goalkeeper in the league.

The game would end without a winner, which extended Ocean City’s all-time record against RCNJ to 5-0-3. The season series finished with Ocean City winning the season opener on the road and the second match on the road finishing in a draw and the third and final match ending in a draw at the Beach House. It has been one of the most competitive matchups for the Storm with five of the last six meetings being either a 1-0 Ocean City win (twice) or a draw (three times).